Song Description

After years of hard living, a man finds himself at the end of his rope one rainy night in an Austin, Texas bar. He fails to find folly in the bar crowd, only to be saved by the wisdom of another passing stranger. Years later, after he has cleaned up his act and gotten his life back on track, he stumbles upon the man from the bar and discovers his true identity - a preacher from his home town of Memphis.

Lyrics

It was a rainy night in Austin
When he finally hit the bottom
Sat 'round looking for answers
In the bottom of a bottle

There's no one left in this old bar
Who would listen to his story
Almost, what ifs and might of beens
Tales of some past glory

But right then a man walked in
Shook off the rain and looked at him
He said I have been where you are son
Only one way back to where your from

Down county roads
Old dirt paths
That cut right back
Through all you've ever known

County roads
One way travel
On loose gravel
To heart and hope and home

If you find yourself down and out
Lost and all alone
Go find your soul
Down them old county roads

Well that got him thinking
He should cut back on the drinking
Pick up the phone and call his daughter
Been three years since he saw her

It takes time to heal old wounds
But he hoped they wouldn't last
Cause he knows that little girl's mother
Was the best love he ever had

Then he turned back to the man
Who replied, do you understand?
This bar is not your curtain call
You can find your meaning to it all

Down county roads
Old dirt paths
That cut right back
Through all you've ever known

County roads
One way travel
On loose gravel
To heart and hope and home

If you find yourself down and out
Lost and all alone
Go find your soul
Down them old county roads

He finished his whiskey and paid his tab
Refused a ride said, I'll call a cab
Walked outside lit a cigarette
Thought it was another night he'd soon forget

But right through that cloud of smoke
He swore he saw the light

It was a sunny day in Memphis
He was walking with his daughter
When they stopped in a little wooden church
He was shocked to know the preacher

Sure enough there was the man
From the bar who helped him understand
No he didn't even say hello
But that night he took the long way home

Down county roads
Old dirt paths
That cut right back
Through all you've ever known

County roads
One way travel
On loose gravel
To heart and hope and home

If you find yourself down and out
Lost and all alone
Go find your soul
Down them old county roads